Update: No Tsunami-Generated Waves in Malibu

2:55 p.m. Update: No significant waves were reported at the Malibu beaches Friday. at told Malibu Patch that the waves were about two-feet-high consistently throughout the day.

A Tsunami Advisory was issued for Malibu and all of California south of Point Conception  in Santa Barbara a few hours after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan.

8 a.m. Update: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a Tsunami Advisory for Malibu. The waves are expected to increase about .3 meters, and this could happen at any minute as of 8 a.m. The impact could last from 10 to 12 hours, according to the city of Malibu.

The following is from the city of Malibu's website:

Per Los Angeles County Senior Ocean Lifeguards, there are no plans to close Los Angeles County Beaches at this time. The Fire Department's Emergency Operations Bureau (EOB) has partially activated the Department Operations Center. Los Angeles County Fire Department Operations Center has been activated.

Per the Malibu Station Watch Commander, there are no plans to close Malibu beaches and the situation is continuing to be monitored. Per the Marina del Rey Station Watch Commander, there are no plans to evacuate. They are monitoring the situation.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a Tsunami Warning early Friday morning for California's coast north of Point Conception, calling for residents to move immediately inland or to higher ground.

Malibu, and all other coastal areas from Santa Barbara to Mexico, are under an advisory. According to NOAA's website, "Significant, widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory."

An 8.9-magnitude earthquake occurred off Japan's coast at approximately 9:46 Thursday night, creating a tsunami which hit Japan's coast minutes later.

 NOAA estimates that waves from the earthquake would hit Los Angeles at approximately 8:30 a.m.

"We're not anticipating too many issues," said Battalion Commander Dean Ulrich of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Ulrich said the county's Department Operational Center (DOC) was on alert, but "they aren't looking at any evacuations."

"They are looking at a 3-foot surge at low tide," Ulrich said. "We get that on a nice-going storm."

Waves are expected to hit Hawaii at approximately 5 a.m. PST. NOAA, the federal agency charged with monitoring potential tsunamis, has buoys positioned around Hawaii that will provide additional information about the speed, size and strength of the waves.

"Hawaii is the area of most imminent concern," said Trent Kelly, public affairs officer for the Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach.

Although predictions at 4 a.m. were that Los Angeles would not experience a tsunami, waves are unpredictable.

"Every wave is different," Kelly said. "These are truly tidal waves. The waves are under the surface of the water, and as the wave rides up, you start to see more of a build. Depending on the force and magnitude... you could get something that could carry." Even waves of a few feet have been known to travel inland.

Kelly recommended that residents continue to monitor NOAA's alert system, but was reassuring that potential dangers would be known in advance. "NOAA has buoys 100 miles from the coast," he said. "Once there is a projected landing time, there are still a couple hours there."